For any computer system with significant digital resources, producing and maintaining an off-site backup is considered an important risk mitigation practice. Cloud-based backup solutions allow for backups of files to be made and transferred to internet-accessible storage space. However, while bandwidth and accessibility have greatly increased, cloud storage space is still a limited resource. The result is that most enterprise backup procedures must be selective, identifying which files are to be included in the backup and which files are not.
Many implementations involve a set of default backup policies by which certain criteria (such as, for example, file type, location, and history) are used to determine which files to select for backup. Various backup systems also allow the user to modify these default policies, either by adding additional criteria for backup or by selecting and/or deselecting particular files for backup. While these customizations may be sufficient for each user, they can be time-consuming. The default policies may not be suitable for many users, and may fail to take into account important changes in file types and usages without manual intervention.
In view of the foregoing, it may be understood that there may be significant problems and shortcomings associated with current data backup technologies.